Web Offset Presses -- Spinning a Better Web

"The (UV) ink costs have been the major hold back until recently," Moreland admits. "But the prices of UV (materials) are substantially lower now and lend themselves to a variety of short-run work and press-finished products to offset the higher ink pricing."

Mirroring the UV printing theme, Gary Palmer, president of Web Press Corp., is also seeing a trend towards more coated stock usage. "They all want to look like the Victoria's Secret ad pieces," Palmer contends. "We are seeing an increase in UV curing technology being used with coated stock applications. This is due to a combination of environmental issues associated with traditional gas-fired drying, and with a decrease in UV costs relative to gas."